What this MCCB does and what the ratings mean
The Siemens 3VA1196-4EF36-0HA0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) sized for line protection in distribution panels. Its 16 A rated continuous current Iu holds steady from 40 °C up to 50 °C without derating — at 55 °C it still carries 15.36 A, and at 70 °C it's still good for 14.4 A. That thermal curve matters when you're packing breakers into a warm enclosure and need to know your actual headroom without guessing. The interrupting ratings tell you where this breaker can live: 121 kA at 240 V, 75.6 kA at 415 V, 52.5 kA at 440 V, and 11.9 kA at 690 V. That 121 kA at 240 V is the headline number — it's the SCCR you need for high-fault panels downstream of large transformers. The 75.6 kA at 415 V covers most European industrial distribution, and the 690 V figure is there for the odd 690 V line but drops to 11.9 kA, so check your available fault current before committing. It's a 3-pole unit with a TM240 thermal-magnetic release — the 'TM' means fixed thermal and magnetic trip settings, not adjustable like an electronic release. The shunt trip (STL) is built in, so you can remotely trip the breaker from an E-stop or safety relay. No undervoltage release, no auxiliary contacts, no ground fault monitoring, no communication module. This is a straightforward line-protection breaker, not a metering or smart device.
Panel fit and integration
The breaker measures 76.2 mm wide, 130 mm tall, and 70 mm deep — a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint that fits most DIN-rail or panel-mount enclosures without surprises. IP40 on the front means it's protected against tools and wires >1 mm, but it's not sealed against dust ingress or washdown; keep it inside a rated enclosure. No auxiliary contacts are included, so if you need status feedback to a PLC or indication lamp, you'll add an external auxiliary switch block. The shunt trip coil is wired separately — verify polarity if it's a DC coil, and confirm the control voltage matches your safety circuit.